Want to know how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Dutch? You’re in the right place.
It’s always nice to wish someone a happy birthday on their special day, but why not do it in a language that means something to them.
As well as wishing your loved one a happy birthday in Dutch, why not also sing the Dutch version of the happy birthday song! Read on to learn more about this.
Table of Contents
How To Say ‘Happy Birthday’ In Dutch
To wish someone a happy birthday in Dutch, you can say:
| English | Dutch | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Happy birthday | Fijne verjaardag | Fay-ne ver-yaar-dakh |
| Happy birthday | Gelukkige verjaardag | Khe-lukk-ekhe ver-yaar-dakh |
| Congratulations on your birthday | Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag | Khe-felici-teerd met ye ver-yaar-dakh |
To hear the pronunciation of the phrase ‘gelukkige verjaardag’, check out the below video:
Alternatively, you can also use some of these phrases:
| English | Dutch | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Congratulations | Gefeliciteerd | Khe-felici-teerd |
| Wishing you an enjoyable day | Een prettige dag gewenst | En pret-ikhe dakh khewenst |
| Best wishes | Beste wensen | Beste vensen |
‘Gefeliciteerd’ is a very important phrase so make sure you learn this one. You’ll use this one a lot especially if you attend a birthday party as this is a common way to greet someone on their birthday.
If you’re speaking to someone special then you’ll want to know how to say I love you in Dutch.
How To Sing Happy Birthday In Dutch
If you want to go the extra mile for your loved one or friend, try singing the happy birthday song in Dutch.
Check out the video below to hear the Dutch birthday song:
Here’s the lyrics so you can sing along:
“Lang zal hij/ze leven,
Lang zal hij/ze leven,
Lang zal hij/ze leven,
In de gloria,
In de gloria,
In de gloria.”
This translates to:
“May he/she live long,
May he/she live long,
May he/she live long,
In glory,
In glory,
In glory.”
Dutch Birthday Traditions
Birthday traditions can be very important to many people on their birthdays. To make your loved one feel extra special you can also try some of these Dutch birthday traditions.
If you’re invited to a party, you should say ‘congratulations’ or ‘gefeliciteerd’ to not only the person whose birthday it is but also their family members, for example, their parents, grandparents, spouse, siblings and children.
You may also be asked to take part in a birthday circle. This is simply where you sit in a circle surrounded by all your closest friends and family. You’ll often go around the circle saying ‘congratulations’ to each other. Many people spend their birthday parties this way, sitting and chatting, surrounded by their favourite people.
Birthdays are really important in Dutch culture so why not create a birthday calendar (like many Dutch people do) so you don’t forget anyone’s birthday!
If you bring a gift for the birthday girl/boy then expect them to open it right away! It’s customary for them to open it then and there in front of everyone.
Thanks for reading this post on how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Dutch.
It’s a great idea to make the effort to learn how to say this in someone’s native language or a language that means something to them.
Your loved one or friend will be so impressed!
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